"I don't get it Tails, how could I let my guard down so easily?"
Sonic was pacing around back and forth in Tail's workshop, while his friend was tinkering with a small device at a nearby table.
"Are you that bothered that she stole the gem from under your nose?" asked Tails not looking up from his work. Sonic stopped pacing and folded his arms. It was true that losing the gem didn't help things. It had been a week since the night he met the jewel thief and for reasons he couldn't explain, he wanted to see her again.
"I guess, Rouge is just a really good thief."
Tail's ears perked up at the name, he looked up at Sonic. "Umm are you talking about Rouge the Bat?" The hedgehog glanced at him a bit surprised "Yeah, why?"
Tails got up and walked over to his computer and started typing something in, Sonic walked over and poked his head to the side to see what Tails was doing. On the screen it showed a picture of Rouge. "Is this the girl you saw that night?" asked Tails. Sonic slowly nodded his head.
"I'm not so sure?" replied Tails clicking on the bat's picture. A profile appeared, Tails scrolled down while reading out loud to Sonic.
"It says here she is the owner of Club Rouge and according to this file, runs a clean business and has no criminal record."
"Where is this club?" asked Sonic.
Tails typed in a few keys and the address appeared on the screen. "It's located just north in Central City, Night Babylon district." Tails scratched his head. "But why do you...?" Tails didn't finish as he felt a gust of wind and heard the door close shut. "Never mind"
.....................
Night Babylon, the neon lit district of Central City, home to many bars and casinos. Sonic calmly walked through the lit streets looking around. He had always stayed away from this place due to the sinful things that went down here. As he kept walking some nasty looking folks gave him a few looks. Sonic was hoping they were smart enough to not mess with him, seems he was right as they looked away and carried about their own business.
He walked around a corner and saw what had made him come here in the first place. Across the street was a large building with a large bat logo on the front with the words Club Rouge flashing. The hedgehog made his way across the street and up to the front door. Before he could walk in a bull dog wearing a tux and sunglasses put his arm out in front of Sonic.
"This place is off limits to non-club members."
"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't know." said Sonic putting his hands slightly up in defense. "If I see one, I'll inform you immediately." He walked past the guard but was once again stopped.
Sonic looked up at the dog. "I'm sorry, but do you not know who I am?"
"No."
Sonic rubbed his forehead in frustration "Well then I'll have to tell Mr. Yacka Doodle, that you refused to let me in because you don't know who I am."
"Mr....who" asked the guard looking a bit confused.
Sonic did a face palm. "Wow....just wow." He turned to walk away. "When Yacka Doodle hears this, he is going to be so angry! I don't even want to know what he is going to do to you."
"Wait!" said the dog, a bit of fear in his voice. "I'm sorry it's just been a long day that's all, you can go on in."
Sonic turned around and walked inside as the dog stepped out of his way.
When Sonic entered, the room was dark but with neon lights glowing all around the place he could still see. There were a bunch of people playing slot machines, there was a dance floor and a large stage were a grey echidna and yellow cat with pink and red hair were singing on stage.
There was a bunch of sofas, tables and booths set up around for people to sit down and chat with friends or relax. Sonic then saw a soda bar and headed over and took a seat at a stool. A white cheetah girl behind the counter walked up to him. "What can I get for you darling?"
"I'll have a code red please, shaken not stirred." said Sonic smiling at her. The bartender giggled and went to fetch his soda.
As Sonic waited for his drink, he saw some shady characters looking at him from a nearby booth. The bartender came back with his soda. "Thanks" said Sonic.
He sipped on his drink and relaxed in his seat. A shadow fell over him and he glanced to the side to see the group of shady characters standing near him. Now that he got a good look at them, one was a bull, a bear, a wolf and a falcon.
"You look familiar hedgehog." said bull the narrowing his eyes at him.
"Yeah, I get that a lot." said Sonic. Taking another drink of his soda.
As the group of strangers looked at him some more, the bear whispered to the bull. Sonic noticed the bull looking angrier as the bear backed off.
"Now I know who you are, you're Sonic the Hedgehog!"
"Really where!" said Sonic in a drama like voice, while looking around excitedly.
The group stepped closer to him. "We don't appreciate heroes in our club" Sonic set down his drink. "Well I'm not doing anything to bother you"
"Just you being here is bothering us!" the bull went in for a charge. Sonic sighed and shook his head, Just as the bull was about to hit him. The hedgehog jumped over him and landed in the center of the other thugs.
The falcon threw a punch, but Sonic blocked it and dodged a hit from the wolf. The bear tried to grab him but Sonic swiftly moved behind him and kicked him in the back. The bear fell forward and landed on the wolf and falcon.
Sonic flinched. "That's got to hurt"
He heard footsteps behind him, already knowing who it was, and stepped to the side and tripped the charging bull making him fall onto his followers.
The thugs slowly got up and got into a fighting stance while Sonic did the same.
"That's enough!"
Sonic and others looked to the right and saw a white bat walking down some stairs. Immediately Sonic noticed it was Rouge but she was wearing a different outfit then the last time he saw her. She wore a black sports bra, black sweatpants with white flowers at the ankles and pink and white tenia shoes. Rouge stood in between Sonic and his foes.
"You know I don't like it when fights break out in my club" she stated, looking at the blue hedgehog then at the others.
"But Madam Rouge, he is one of those heroes and-"
"I know who he is" Rouge said cutting off the bull. She glanced at Sonic and smiled. "He is my guest" Sonic seemed a bit confused as she turned to face the bull and the others, she put her hands on her hips.
"You know the rules for mistreating guest, get out." she pointed to the door.
The bull huffed in rage but the stern look the bat was given him made him turn around and out the door with his friend's right behind him.
The echidna and cat on stage had stopped performing when the fight broke out, looked at Rouge who smiled and nodded to them. The two nodded back and started the music back up and began playing.
The other guests started going back to whatever it was they were doing, and things quickly went back to being normal.
Rouge walked over to Sonic and gestured with her head to follow her. Sonic didn't say anything and followed the bat up the stairs she had come from.
Once at the top he followed her to a private booth and they sat across from each other.
"So handsome?" she said in a silvery voice. "What brings you to Club Rouge?"
Sonic narrowed his eyes at her. "I think you know" he tapped a finger on the table lightly. Rouge smiled "Enlighten me"
"How about returning the jewel you stole from the museum."
The bat giggled lightly which caused Sonic to tilt his head in confusion.
"That museum owner has been smuggling stolen treasure for three years now" She shifted in her seat to get more comfy.
Sonic wasn't sure if he could believe her, but then again he didn't know much about the museum and its owner. "So where is the gem now?"
"Oh, back where it belongs" replied Rouge smiling at him.
"And that would be....?"
"With the original owner who hired me to steal it back"
Sonic rubbed the back of his head. "So you steal from other criminals" The bat nodded her head. He thought for a moment. "Who else do I know who does that...?"
"Is that all you came here for?" she asked "Or...was there another reason?" Sonic's heart quickened as she leaned over the table and looked into his emerald eyes.
"I...not that I can recall" he stood up and walked over to a railing and looked down to the other guests enjoying themselves.
"Nice club you got here."
Rouge stood beside him and gazed down at the crowd. "Yeah my casino is different from the others in this city" Sonic glanced at her as she continued. "I have a bar, but I only serve soda and other nonalcoholic drinks" She looked at him "And the food here is pretty good as well"
Sonic smirked at her; they continued to watch other people when Sonic's wrist communicator started beeping. He answered it.
"Sonic here."
"Sonic Eggman is attacking Emerald Coast!" Tails voice spoke from the watch. "Amy and I could use your help"
"Copy that Tails, on my way."
He turned to Rouge. "Well I got to split, thanks for letting me in your club"
Rouge smiled. "You're welcomed here anytime handsome" she winked at him.
Sonic grinned and then dashed down the stairs and out the door. Rouge smiled to herself and walked to a door and walked inside. Closing the door behind her, she walked over to a medium sized desk where blueprints were scattered on top. "Ok, let's see where to strike next" She glanced to the corner of the room where the Crystal of the Nile glimmered in the dark room.